Highlights On Her Hair
by periberi
Summary: Shuuya, Takako, kissing. Uhm, really?
1. Catcher of the Eye

**Title**: Highlights on Her Hair

**Summary**: Takako, Shuuya, kissing. Uhm, really?

**Rating**: T (for the swearing)

**Genre**: Humor, Friendship, Romance

**01.**

Among the twenty-one girls of Shiroiwa Junior High's Class B, there were only two girls that mattered in the life of one Shuuya Nanahara.

No it was not Noriko, no more—he had decided it was up to Yoshi (and Kawada, perhaps) what to do with her.

It was not Mitsuko, or any of her posse; as his best friend would say, that was really _out of the question._ It was not Izumi, or Fumiyo, or Kayoko even—she was Sugi's—or Satomi, or Yuka or anybody else. Of course Sakura was even more out of the question than Mitsuko; although Shuuya would fuck Sakura out of her wits rather than Mitsuko even if he'd be the end of Kazuhiko's wrath.

There were still quite a number of girls not yet mentioned in the paragraphs above and that made them automatically a candidate for the two girls that mattered in the life of one Shuuya Nanahara—not that the girls would approve; oh one of them would but the other one wasn't really as excited.

The first one should be a no-brainer—it was that girl Yukie Utsumi, Class Representative Extraordinaire, Shiroiwa's You Know You Love Me (But They Don't, Really) Gossip Girl, and Shuuya Nanahara's first ever girlfriend.

Shuuya had always believed that their love story was written to be epic and awesomesauce—after all, in Shuuya's mind—it was the typically prince falling in love with the uh, hmmm, ordinary girl. Whatever it was, Shuuya had firmly set his mind on that assumption; after all, what was more epic than Yukie getting them together by announcing through text messaging brigade how much he was in love with Shuuya, damn all the odds.

Of course, Shuuya found that sweet and decided to give Yukie a try to which he found out, after dating her for a month that Yukie wasn't as bad as his friends made her to be. Three months after, they decided to go steady and steady as a rock, they eventually became.

Their relationship had been breezy, smooth, normal and it appalled Shuuya, if he would say so himself, how it felt seemingly normal and how it was…_so unlike Shinji and his girlfriend's_ (now that was something he would admit to be more epic than his kind of Romeo and Juliet) which brought him to the other girl that mattered in the life of one Shuuya Nanahara.

And yes it was, although it would have required more brains than a normal bucket-head zombie could devour to guess that, none other than Takako Chigusa—Shinji's girlfriend.

Shuuya had to scowl as she saw said girl walking like she owned the pathway and the guys who would oh-so-subtly try to turn their heads to her direction. She was not close to where he was—_yet_—but he could make her out in the crowd with that screaming It's The Takako Chigusa Orange kind of highlights on her hair.

No, no; it was not that kind of matter _of you are everything to me, you make me happy, you matter in my life_ kind of matter—Shuuya had to acidly laugh at that—but it was because if remembering Yukie was all sorts of rainbows, flowers, ribbons, cotton candy marshmallow high, remembering Takako was all sorts of opposite.

Yukie was an answer to his problems so that made Takako, of course, the creator of the problems.

Or in this case, more appropriately, the _reminder_ of the problem that Yukie couldn't give an answer to—that Takako did not create! And that Yukie was involved with!—but she was definitely weaving another wrinkle across Shuuya Nanahara's forehead as she walked towards him in the bleachers (but not as close yet); bearing that screaming I Remind You of Your Problem Orange kind of highlights in her hair.

How did Takako exactly remind Shuuya of his current problem, other than being a mere presence causing him agitations like instant noodles—Shuuya tried not to think, but of course as all things involved him would naturally unfold, he failed.

As Takako neared him, Shuuya was reminded of the event that happened a week ago…

**02.**

"Shuu, to be quite honest, I…haven't kissed anyone."

Shuuya tried not to burst his pants—that would be Mim doing his natural way of living—at the mere sight of his just-recently-acquired girlfriend very slyly and cutely avoiding his advances.

The rockstar wannabe gulped; _on this situation, Mim would be holding her shoulders or waist to put her in place_, he thought; but then when Shuuya tried to lift his arms and do what he was supposed to, he felt it was heavier than he had expected. HOW THE HELL DOES HE FUCKING DO IT?

"You'd be my first too, actually," said Shuuya, with AWKWARD buzzing in his brain like his freaking alarm clock on an ordinary school day.

"…Hmm, so where should I put my hands?"

"Uhm, wait, maybe I should—maybe you should tilt your head a little?"

"…Like this?—wait, you're close and I—"

_Damn,_ Shuuya thought. His hands were becoming all sweaty and his shirt was sticking to him like second skin; he could almost smell himself and it wasn't anything close to smelling good but HOW THE HELL DOES HE FUCKING DO IT was all he could process in his brain.

A few moments of silence, and then Shuuya muttered absently, "Uhm, Yukie, maybe you'd want to get at the other side of the truck?"

Yukie blinked and Shuuya could almost saw her relief. _Alright, that was a fucking smart move, maybe she was indeed feeling shy being exposed like this on the parking lot_, Shuuya thought; and so together they moved on the other side of the truck.

Shuuya never even imagined that his first kiss would be on an ordinary school day at the school's parking lot with a girl like Yukie Utsumi on the blind side of a parked truck. He figured his first would be on a date, near the river, with candlelight and roses and a serenade; hey, even if he wasn't born at circa 1800, he still preferred it conventional, thank you!

Then again, the truth was Shuuya really never imagined that his first kiss would be an on ordinary school day at the school's parking lot with a girl like Yukie Utsumi on the blind side of a parked truck belonging to—

"Hello? FINALLY! What the fuck are you doing taking so long to answer—oi, DUMBASS—"

Shuuya felt the first surge of panic rise to his throat at the sound of a voice nearing where they were hiding, failingly, but Yukie was trying so hard to get how to kiss right he just had to pay attention.

"What? On what world do you think you can live without me, I don't think so—what? Right—"

He would recognize that voice anywhere, but the kiss was starting to feel good (well, it was an up from the clumsy state it was five seconds ago).

The door on the other side opened and FUCKDAMMIT, Shuuya thought as…

"FUCKDAMMIT," the girl said aloud, "WHY do I even have to pick up your clothes for you?—WHAT?—you better be on my good graces or else—"

_HOLEHCRAP, Yukie_!, Shuuya thought for two reasons; 1) the kiss was really getting good (as good as it can get for both noobs) and 2) the truck wouldn't open on its own without a key unless Shinji Mimura owned the truck and Takako Chigusa had his keys because it wouldn't make sense for the girl on the other side to be anybody else!

That immoral way of speaking, that tone of voice, that authority, that I Spell Doom For You Orange highlights on her hair—that was Takako Chigusa, no mistaking and everything.

But what gave her away, if she was even in stealth in the first place, was—

"SHINJI TWO HORNY IDIOTS ARE MAKING OUT ON YOUR—oh, it was just Nanahara. And Utsumi."

The two horny idiots as they were called blinked in mock horror, while Takako Chigusa remained—_deadpanned, nonchalant_—busy packing out some clothes for, Shuuya assumed, Shinji, who was on the phone.

When Takako obviously was bidding her time, much to Shuuya's dismay and Yukie's uncomfortable fidgeting beside him, Shuuya cleared his throat. "For the love of Buddha, Takako, can you please hurry!"

Takako only rolled her eyes at him, and checked the doors on Shinji's truck—her eyes wary on the two most likely thinking she would have to make extra security that they won't do it in her boyfriend's upholstery, fuck friendship—and looked at them squarely.

"Easy, Nanahara, I'm going—and don't make it sound like it was sort of a show I'd get my hands on because I've seen AND FELT better," Takako smirked at them.

Yukie only looked horrified and beyond ashamed; she wanted a 2012-intense amount of ground to swallow her whole and Shuuya—well, Shuuya was beyond humiliated.

Takako stopped suddenly. "I won't spill anything," she then eyed Yukie and shaking her head she said, "but poor you."

Takako stayed true to her word which made Shuuya felt nervous about the whole situation, even after three days had passed. Well, he had not seen her for three days—the last time Shuuya saw Takako was when she saw them, he did not even want to remember—so he couldn't give her the free pass just yet.

That night ended up bad for him, worse even, but Yukie tried to ease the situation by saying she was alright, just a little shocked; Shuuya found that sweet, and he even managed to land a full un-clumsy kiss on her lips when he dropped her home.

After three days, it was when Shuuya saw Takako for the first time after—he did not even want to remember. They were on the cafeteria and he was eating with Shinji when Shuuya saw Takako burst in the doors and they exchanged a look.

Shinji was not able to see her yet with his back on the doors so it was only to Shuuya's horror when he saw that smirk written all over her face. She arrived at their table and yes, it was still that, I Know What You Did Last Three Days Orange highlights on her hair that he wanted to ignore, but voila, it was too late for him.

Takako covered Shinji's eyes. "Guess who?"

Shuuya turned to look at his noodles.

Shinji chuckled. "Lemme guess, are you that girl I groped on the alleyway yesterday?"

Shuuya was feeling puke-y; but Takako had even managed a laugh. "Nope. Try harderrrr," she said in a sing-song voice.

"The owner of the strawberry panties?"

This time, Shuuya stopped meddling with his noodles and fumbled on his bag, as if looking for something.

"You're sooooo stupid—don't get this right and I'll push my fingers in and your eyes goes to Nanahara's noodles—"

"The girl who's obsessed with my kisses?"

Shuuya's eyes bulged and Takako was smirking very evilly, at about the same time that Shinji was freed from his bondage (but Shuuya bet he liked that).

"Bingo," said Takako and she made herself comfortable on Shinji's lap, going for an assault for his kisses—after all, she was supposedly obsessed with it.

They were making slurping sounds and their hands were all over each other, uncaring at the show everyone else was trying not to look at and Shuuya was all HOW THE HELL, DO THEY FUCKING—HOW THE HELL DOES SHE—WHY IS SHE TORTURING—PLEASE ANYONE HELP ME!

Shuuya knew Takako wasn't even this bold for public displays of affection so he was almost sure she was making a point across and Shuuya can only pray that she would have a clue that he GOT THE FUCKINGDAMMIT POINT!

"Well, aren't you really really good, you'd make a profit out of a kissing booth," said Takako seductively, obviously very pleased with Shinji's method of kissing much to someone's discomfort.

"You'd allow that?"

"Only if it's for a cause of helping lost souls—you do know I'm charitable by nature," Takako said and she kissed Shinji lightly on the lips as she disengaged herself from their mess of tangled limbs.

When Shuuya made an effort to get up and tiptoe away, Takako stopped him, "It's okay, youngling, show's done and I'd be off with another mission to make this world a better place," and she winked at Shinji.

"She's probably off on another killing spree," Shinji commented amusingly, his eyes glued to Takako's hips as she walked away.

"WHY DO YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THAT'S A NORMAL THING TO SAY?"

"Whoa, Shuu, easy," remarked Shinji, "what got you?"

"I DON'T KNOW, YOUR SAINT OF A GIRLFRIEND WHO ALREADY ASCENDED TO HEAVEN AND EVEN GOT PAST IT WITH HER SO-CALLED CHARITABLE NATURE," Shuuya calmed down and after a few breaths, "she was doing that on purpose to spite me!"

Shinji only chuckled, "Can't say I complain buddy but hey!"

"HEY WHAT?"

"She just adores you."

Shuuya drank his bowl of noodles while Shinji only laughed at him, "Adores me, my ass. You two are perfect for each other, you know?"

And Shinji was only happy to agree.

**03.**

Shuuya only grunted at the memory and he wanted to escape his death, the impending death that was only a few feet away from him; but he was shocked to know that Takako got to him very fast, she was already standing in front of him, that You Are So Dead Orange highlights on her hair, very very unmistakable.

"Fancy seeing you here, Nanahara."

Shuuya couldn't even force out a smile, and all the thoughts of even trying fled out of his brain when he realized he actually thought about Takako a lot more, she could now pass as his girlfriend instead.

But seeing that smirk on her face and the way she was looking down at him like he was some emo, poor boy with 2000 pounds of angst on his shoulders—which he was—Shuuya shoved the thought away; he'd be breaking oaths of friendship on that, or even his morality. PLEASE NO!

**TBC**

**A/N**:The last muse up my sleeve; and MAYBE, I'd shut up for a while after this. MAYBE, HOPEFULLY, whatever. Pardons for the usual things—unbeta'ed, grammar, tenses, OOCness, yadda yadda yadda you all know the drill.

I'm bored, and it's freaking hot, so here it is!

So will Takako teach Shuuya how to kiss then? *winks*


	2. Confessions of an Assaholic

**Title**: Highlights on Her Hair

**Summary**: Takako, Shuuya, kissing. Uhm, really?

**Rating**: T (for the swearing)

**Genre**: Humor, Friendship, Romance

_Oh the sky is blue. The weather is perfect; the grass is green. The wind is blowing on my pretty hair and I can hear the music of the earth in my ears—_

"Fancy seeing you here Nanahara."

_-lalalala, life is good, life is awesome, life is perfect, the soccer boys are hot—_

Takako only rolled her eyes at the sight of Shuuya Nanahara pretending to be trapped at some virtual reality where she wasn't included. Not that she wanted to be included in it—she thought he looked stupid enough in his imagining—but she wasn't exactly_ fancying_ the idea that Shuuya Nanahara was apparently _here _(wherever here was) with her, and so she wanted to do something about it.

Once again, the sprinter cleared her throat to announce her presence. She hated being ignored.

"Fancy seeing you here Nanahara…_again_."

Shuuya heaved a sigh. With his eyes still closed, he told The Intruder, "Fancy seeing you here too, Chigusa…except that my eyes are closed."

Of course, Takako preferred that those doe eyes of Shuuya's would never open again and see the beauty of the world/her face but what kind of life would she ever live, if Shuuya Nanahara was good as gone.

So what she did was she carefully held her breath and peered closer _and closer_ to his face. She debated doing this but as she studied Shuuya's face closer, his lips plump and almost pouting and she was already _this_ close, she decided that she knew, oh so knew, it would feel _good_—

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH~!"

-to scare him to death. To prove her point, if anyone even dared doing that to her, she'd punch the living daylights out of that person and he or she (Takako was a liberal woman and was against gender discrimination) would pay much more than what was bargained.

Good thing Shuuya was a pansy; he would only scream and he would only—_hmm, that was interesting_, Takako mused.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?"

While Takako continued her musing, Shuuya was still on the verge of recovering. His breathing ragged and he could even feel his pulse pumping in and out of his skin. Takako only continued to stare.

Unfortunately for him, Shuuya could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks. It was even more unfortunate that Takako was witnessing it with an expression on her face like she was watching Shinji getting naked—interested, but she knew how it would all go down (she had seen it way too many times).

Then again, she couldn't exactly blame him, right? Scary or not, man eater or not, girlfriend of his best friend or not, there was no mistaking that Takako was a beautiful girl (it was universal law) and so it would only feel natural for him to be—to be, uhm—to be _aroused _when someone as beautiful would try to kiss him!

"I wasn't planning to kiss you…"

Shuuya only looked like a deer caught in headlights. He was horrified and then embarrassed and then horrified again with the implications of his train of thoughts.

_WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING? WHY THE HELL WAS I AROUSED? WHEN THE HELL DID TAKAKO BECOME BEAUTIFUL? WHO THE HELL POISONED MY BRAIN?_

_WHERE AM I…AM I DEAD? _

"…but you were waiting for it, were you?"

That only answered his question that he was very much still alive.

"FUCK NO! What the—why are you even doing this Chigusa? You go on with your life making me suffer like I did something wrong!"

Takako snorted. "Yes you did, news flash. Why are you even here on the bleachers?"

Shuuya was irked at the fact that his lungs along with his larynx—nasopharynx, esophagus—practically his whole respiratory system—were already on the verge of breaking and combusting while Takako remained uninterested with things in general while cursing and cussing him like she always did.

It was always like this; he'd never win against her like she was some sort of tyrannical, dictatorial government with the face and the grace of a monarch. Shuuya would disclaim afterwards that all allusions to Takako being beautiful was purely called for by his provoked hormones _alone._

"Oh I must have missed that _'In Memory of Takako Chigusa'_—"

"That's because no matter how much this would hurt you Shuuya Nanahara, I am still alive and fully capable to kick your ass off MY bleachers and let you know it's mine—"

"Then Takako, oh for the love of Buddha's angels, Miss Takako Chigusa, can I crash and borrow some space? Just a tiny weeny bit for my sorry ass?"

If anything, Shuuya's desperate voice surprised Takako even though she wouldn't admit it. There was something in his voice—it sounded pleading, like he was in some turmoil and he badly needed help and that he was waiting an answer, _any_ answer, from…the beautiful scenery of the sweaty soccer boys.

Takako sighed. "So who is it?"

Shuuya only looked at her very confused. "Who is who?"

It was only then that Takako decided to sit on the/her bleachers and then only afterwards did she decide to allow Shuuya a tiny weeny bit of space for his sorry ass. "You're heartbroken, right?"

The rockstar only looked far ahead, and sharply avoided the sprinter's gaze. For one, he wouldn't want to see any mockery in those piercing eyes; he was actually a little grateful for her interest-potentially-turning-into-sympathy because he _kind _of needed it.

"Not really…" said Shuuya in a small voice.

"Then who is it? It's not…?"

Takako paused, looked at Shuuya intriguingly and then, "…it's not _Kawada _right?"

And just when he thought that Takako actually had a beating heart inside of her, she definitely proved by that statement that there was no space, even a tiny weeny bit of his sorry ass, for him in her heart. Again, not that he wanted to (Shuuya and Takako never wanted anything from each other, but Takako would claim Shuuya wanted her to kiss him) but due to his ever optimistic nature, he didn't actually thought she was this of a heartless bitch.

Remember that, this was coming from the very girl who saw him kiss his girlfriend and look stupid while he was at it; she was only that fortunate enough to live and tell about it! Fucking shit!

"I HATE YOU!"

Shuuya didn't care that it sounded childish, but he was infuriated and beyond. Takako—well, Takako was still her normal self.

"Good. Now up your sorry ass and plot your revenge—"

"I'M ONLY WAITING FOR MIM!"

Takako was on the process of pushing Shuuya away out of her/the bleachers when she suddenly stopped at Shuuya's assertive declaration. A declaration Shuuya made the mistake of blurting out, but it was a declaration that was about to detonate the Takako Bomb nonetheless.

"So it's Shinji…?"

"YES! AUGH, NO—"

"We're in a love triangle?—"

"NO, NO I needed him!—"

"Well, that's funny because I do too—"

To an ordinary onlooker, Shuuya looked like he was the ultimate fan boy fan boying the soccer boys with the gay way he was flailing his arms in the bleachers. Takako would be the unwarranted companion, whose boyfriend was in the basketball team, and that would explain why she was even more interested in watching an ant trail.

"—ARRRGH, Takako listen! LISTEN TO ME FIRST!"

Surprisingly, that did it.

Shuuya continued, "I need a best friend advice. For _the _(emphasis on the) problem."

Takako only raised an eyebrow. She then looked at her nails. "How about you just tell me _the_ problem."

It was definitely not a question, but a statement.

Shuuya huffed one more time. "I said I needed bestfriend advice. Not the girlfriend of the bestfriend advice."

"But the best friend asks the girl friend for the best friend advice," mused Takako, with an amused look in her eyes.

For the nth time that day, Shuuya sighed. Talking to Takako drained him in a way that was never good; he then briefly wondered how Shinji was always feeling, he who was stupid enough to be whipped by a girl like Takako Chigusa. Only of course, much to his dismay, Takako would only drain Shinji in a way that was always good, so his argument made it invalid.

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Shuuya with finality though he never made any effort to move out of the bleachers and continued, _"I want Mim."_

Takako grinned her infamous Chigusa _you-are-dead_ grin and Shuuya feared it.

"I wish for your sake that I could un-hear the way you say things like _I need Mim, I want Mim_," Takako flipped her hair and moved closer to Shuuya, hands on her hips, "who, in case you are forgetting, is MY boyfriend in the same way that these bleachers are MINE…"

_Oh for the love of my balls_, Shuuya closed his eyes and waited for his demise as Takako only continued, "…but I can't."

Shuuya felt Takako's presence leave him for a minute and he decided to take the opportunity to open his eyes only to find her standing in front of him, or more appropriately, bending over to him with her hands on his knees for support.

"Yes, I get it Nanahara. Shinji is fucking hot, you want him, I want him, everybody wants him."

She actually dared to move her hands closer to his jewels! _Oh for the love of my balls, my balls_, Shuuya cried in his mind.

Shuuya could now hear Takako's voice sending shivers in his left ear. "But not everybody gets him. I only do, and I don't share."

_OH MY BALLS, HER HAND, MY BALLS_, Shuuya whimpered and then he closed his eyes again—uh huh, history should tell him that was never a smart move to do.

"So either you tell me your problem and leave him alone..."

Her breath was hot on his face, Shuuya could tell, and she smelled like apples tempting the mere man of him to commit the original sin. _Mim, dear God, help me…_

"…or I'll kiss you out of it so that you'll leave him alone."

Of course Takako would know that it was the kissing Yukie thing that Shuuya was contemplating suicide for. Takako was the very person who saw him humiliated in front of Yukie because he didn't know how to do it. Of course also, by the rate that Takako and Shinji were kissing/making out/necking (based on what Shuuya saw on the cafeteria) Takako could tell what was sloppy and what was acceptable and therefore his problem.

However, Shuuya also knew that Takako's judgment might be a little off considering she probably made Mim her benchmark; there was no way he could beat that kissing machine that made half of the girls drop their panties in a heartbeat.

Then again, of course, at the moment, Shuuya was also forgetting that Takako's face (and lips) were still close to his; an inch of movement forward and he'd probably know what a_ good_ kiss would feel like.

So he decided to move his head…

…_backwards_ and bury his face in his hands.

"Alright, I'll tell you, I'll tell you! I will leave him alone! BUT GET YOUR FACE OUT OF MY FACE!"

Takako only smirked at him. "Time starts now."

Shuuya sighed like it was the only thing he could do with his life—screw breathing, reading, writing etc. There was no winning with someone like Takako who was as sly as a vixen…but that might be only because he was just as pansy as a puppy. Actually, he'd rather agree on that than put Takako on another pedestal and entertain this secret hormonal admiration and get his nuts under Shinji's wrath.

Then again…

"…Will you really kiss me out of it if I didn't concede?"

He sure never knew how to quit.

When Takako said THE FUCKING HELL NO, Shuuya tried his best not to acknowledge the fact that he was a tiny weeny bit disappointed. Takako told him that she was just the type of woman who would do everything to keep her assets aka Mim's ASSets...and the bleachers.

It was a shame really for Shuuya, didn't the great wisdom of life say that experience was always the best teacher?

**TBC**

**A/N: **Alright, I only made very very minor edits. Soooooo, here you go. For anyone's still reading, do drop me a review. One last chapter and this is done. I have another muse going but this time it's… Mitsuko vs Takako (gah, I hope I can pull that one).

Pardon for the normal things needed to be pardoned.

All my love for you people of the universe kind enough to give me some love.


	3. Midsummer Night's Cream

**Title**: Highlights on Her Hair

**Summary**: Takako and Shuuya kissing, really?

**Rating**: T

**Genre**: Humor, Romance, Friendship

**oo.**

In a nutshell, Takako Chigusa was a woman of extremes. Shuuya had always thought that Takako never settled for something of something in between; and she would not dare to settle on one extreme end because normally she'd have _both_ extremes. Take for example, Hiroki and Shinji, whom Shuuya were also both good friends with. Hiroki was an extremely kind person; he was benevolent and a peacemaker who always wanted his ass out of trouble. Shinji on the other hand—his ass usually meant trouble. Chaos followed him, or he created chaos—Shuuya was too innocent and ignorant to (admit) know—but the point was, Hiroki and Shinji were both at different ends of the personality spectrum.

And only Takako Chigusa could handle them both.

Takako was also a woman of violence. Oh how she loved to hurt and torture people (Shuuya) especially if she was bored. Shuuya had always thought she had a caring side—she could get extremely, and by extreme, he meant _extremely_ protective of both Sugi and Mim (both men larger than life than her)—and so he briefly wondered if this was how uniquely Takako showed her caring nature: by extreme displays of violence.

_He could write her entire yearbook write-up if she liked_, Shuuya mused; but he would have to admit that even though he kind of knew a lot about her, that didn't necessarily mean he understood her in any sense. Shuuya could easily get confused when it came to her and now he was exhibiting extreme symptoms of it, in the midst of happy number-something couples with his girlfriend Yukie Utsumi.

"Did we get the place wrong, Shuu?"

Shuuya only squeezed Yukie's hand and kissed her in the forehead. They were somewhere at a beach restaurant with the perfect ambiance of romance—serenades, flowers and happy couple time—but to Shuuya, it felt like they were inside a gas chamber about to witness another holocaust.

"Nope," Shuuya looked around, "we got the place right and the table right. Mim's name was on the reservation."

Yukie only looked skeptical, and she entangled her hands from Shuuya. She was nervous, as Shuuya was too (but he wouldn't say that) with both of them not exactly knowing why. Yukie was calming herself by fixing her hair.

"Shuu, before anything..."

At the sound of the slight quiver in her voice, Shuuya looked at her intently. Yukie instantly grabbed both of his hands on hers.

"...Do you think this is a good idea?"

Now, Shuuya wasn't exactly stupid, but that question made him think if everything that had led to this point was a wise decision after all—him telling Takako **The Problem**™ and agreeing to this (whatever is this). Actually, if he really thought hard enough, Shuuya would admit that the greatest mistake he committed was to make-out _not beside, not even close to_, but **AT** the door**ssssss** (they tried both sides) of Shinji Mimura's truck.

If there was anything more stupid than that, now would be the time to raise the argument.

Shuuya sighed. "Frankly, I don't know...but you knew we were in the shithole the moment Takako saw us."

"Oh Shuu, why didn't you just let her—I don't know—have her fun? We wouldn't be here if you didn't sit on the bleachers!"

"Blame my tired ass, right. What was I supposed to do? I needed Mim's advice!"

Yukie rubbed her temples. "You could have called instead?"

"What were the odds that Takako wouldn't be the one to answer? She works like his operator, and Mim's calls always get filtered, and she'd throw curses at me for calling before I'd get to even talk to Mim and she has that seductive voice over the phone—"

"...Is she really like that?"

Shuuya looked at Yukie with his eyebrows meeting at the bridge of his nose. "What do you mean?"

(It was a good thing Yukie ignored the last comment.)

"Hmm, you make it sound like she has Shinji Mimura," Yukie quoted with her fingers, "_Shinji Mimura_ wrapped around her little finger—"

"—her toes, her knees, her shoulders, her head even—"

"—and that Mim's always at her beck and call?"

After a few pregnant pauses, Shuuya answered thoughtfully.

"No. I was just making that stuff up. You believed it?"

Yukie's eyes narrowed to slits. "Then that just proved how stupid you really are. I feel like I can finally relate to Takako—"

"Mim's actually smarter, and more of a smartass—"

"Shuuya Nanahara, can you shut your mouth?"

Shuuya turned to her fully. "But Yukie—"

"If you can use that for kissing, it would have been nice, but no, so shut it!"

Poor Shuuya. Wasn't it his fault that he hadn't had much practice? Was it his fault if kissing him felt like kissing a duck (not that he had kissed one, but still)? Was it ever his fault that he wanted to preserve that first kiss to a girl he really loved and so he didn't really had any experience?

Was it ever his fault that he was friends with the two most devious people on earth, who if he would be honest, were mocking him like he was some criminal? Perfectly appearing like they had their honeymoon while he and Yukie waited here like rotten tomatoes?

"Sorry, we're late," Takako heaved a breath, cheeks flushed and, "we were..._busy_."

Takako's swollen lips? Check. Mim's hands on her waist? Check. Mim's annoying smirk? Check. Were these all the things he can't ever do to Yukie? Check. Is he doomed? Check.

Yukie was looking far, and Shuuya was looking at the pair with a scowl perfect to match the penguins on his shirt. They both kept silent.

Takako cooed, "Oh, lovers' quarrel."

"We're right here." That was Shuuya.

"Yes babe, they're right here," replied Shinji, with a slightly mocking tone on his voice, his hands still on her waist. Takako and Shinji looked at each other knowingly.

Shuuya hated it when they do that. They were communicating without speaking, looking at each other's eyes like they would know what the other was thinking. He tried doing that to Yukie once and Yukie only laughed at him because he became cross-eyed in a span of a few seconds.

And so Shuuya had enough. He stood abruptly. "You guys!"

Everyone on the table including his own girlfriend looked at him with question. Without even caring, Shuuya started his tirade.

"I get it! Alright, I don't know how to kiss! I'm so sorry Yukie," Shuuya finally looked at her, "I'd become better!"

He turned to Takako. "And you! You devious evil vixen of a temptress!" At this, Shinji could not decide whether to look amused, irked, or stressed, "you go on teasing me like you would kiss me and then you don't! You crushed my ego like you owned me!"

"I owned the bleachers Shuuya, not you, but if you'd like that..." said Takako deadpanned, intently misunderstanding what he said. Shuuya ignored her and turned to Shinji.

"And you! YOU HORRIBLE HORRIBLE KISSING MACHINE! You're my friend, _my best friend!_, and yet you didn't teach me how to do it, how could you—how could you do this to me, Mim?"

"Shuu—"

"If only I could have your mouth in mine then I'd be able to give you a hell of a kiss, Yukie, GET YOUR HANDS OFF AND DON'T STOP ME!"

"Shuu—"

He was back at Shinji again. "If only I could have your lips—"

"Oh for the love of God, Nanahara, you are scaring my ovaries," snapped Takako. Shinji was horrified behind her, wishing he could innocently interpret what Shuuya said (he clearly knew what it meant), but it sounded so horribly _horribly_ wrong.

Yukie was already standing up, and was grabbing Shuuya by the arms. Takako was clearly pissed.

"You're such a drama queen, and could you please please, STOP INSINUATING about having Shinji's lips you bastard," Takako moved closer and Shuuya cowered in fear, "I thought we already agreed about not sharing him—"

"—but I was just implying that if I could have his lips then maybe—"

"Shut up, I know what you fucking mean!" Takako looked at Yukie, "Seriously? This guy?"

Yukie only smiled apologetically and almost nodded her head. Almost.

"Look, we have a job to do and, SHINJI STOP SHAKING BEHIND ME," Takako paused and coughed, "if you want to get things right, Nanahara you'd better know when to speak and when to act."

Takako came closer to his face and then settled for whispering in his ears, "Now we have another thing to do because you just have to fuck it up with a love quarrel."

Of course nothing had been coming according to what they planned, right after Shuuya told her the problem days ago aka Chapter 2. It would have been flawless as it was easy, bring her to somewhere they would both find the mood, try kissing until the seas dry and get over it, and hello to happily ever after. But with Takako about to break his neck off for being such a whiner and a baby and that they were clearly going nowhere with the recent events, it definitely became harder to fulfill. Not to mention the sudden awkwardness between him and Mim who was still trying to compose himself (he probably hadn't had been confessed to by a guy before...)...

_HEY! I didn't confess, stupid author_, Shuuya mused.

When everything was settled, Takako spoke up, this time with a more calm but still deadly voice, "I'm going to borrow Yukie..."

But then her left eyebrow raised as she realized that she didn't fancy the idea of Shinji and Shuuya _alone_ and spending time _together_. She actually debated this in her mind.

Takako motioned for Yukie to stand up and when she did, Takako looked at Shinji with a flash of anxiety in her eyes. Shinji wasn't a wimp, but any guy would have been really bothered by what Shuuya earlier said.

"Will you be alright?"

Shinji smiled weakly, "I'm cool." Which would roughly translate to, _I'd be okay but maybe you don't have to leave?,_ Takako mused.

Shit, this scenario was so gay it was almost too stupid to bear. Damn that Nanahara. Takako looked at Shuuya once again, and then to Shinji and gave him her purse.

"I have tissues, mouthwash and if he can't be stopped," Takako was looking through the contents of her purse, "I have an ice pick. Skewer his mouth if you need to."

She hoped it wouldn't come to that. For the last time, she looked at Shuuya again, her eyes flaring.

"I'M NOT GOING TO KISS HIM!"

And Takako and Yukie went away for their little girly time.

**oo1.**

"So Mim..."

Can't look him in the eye? Check. Other person not speaking up either? Check. Running out of topics in mind? Check. The weather was suddenly that interesting? Check. Is this awkward? Double check, double whammy.

After the girls had left, Shuuya coughed and smiled optimistically to chase away the suffocating awkwardness around them. See, Shuuya and Shinji had been friends since the first year of junior high, and it had been around four years of friendship more or less. One would think they had gone through so much already that their bond was solid and unbreakable even in moments of extreme awkwardness.

However, as all other things in the universe, there apparently was still a scenario that could put their friendship in a pan of boiling oil.

Shuuya coughed again. "Look man, I'm sorry about—"

"Don't mention it."

"But Mim—"

"I said," Shinji's eyes cold and hard, "don't fucking mention it."

Shuuya paused and then he resolved to gather all optimism he had left in his bones. "Alright," and on extremely chirpy voice, he started again, "ALRIGHT! Rain rain go away, come again another day, Shuuya and Shinji want to _play_—"

"What the hell Shuu!" This irked Shinji more, but he remained composed. He snapped again. "Alright! Let's fucking quit it! One more word and I wouldn't think twice about skewering—"

"Okay."

Both of them inhaled and exhaled. Then Shinji started asking slowly. "So what was the matter?"

Silence.

"Can you teach me how to kiss?"

Shuuya had already phrased it in his mind as innocent as he could thus the silence, but damn it, what was said was said and what was done was done, and no matter how pure that had been intentionally thought of, it still sounded so horribly wrong.

Shinji only covered his head in his hands. This was going to be a long night.

**oo2.**

Meanwhile, Takako and Yukie were taking their time strolling at the beach, watching the couples dancing to the a slow rhythm. In class, they weren't exactly speaking terms; but Yukie was one of the people she could at least tolerate, so Takako had hoped it wouldn't be that bad.

Oh how wrong she was.

Still, the girl tried. "I'm sorry for torturing Shuuya so much."

_Except that I'm not totally sorry._ Suave. This made Yukie smile. "Nah, that's okay. Don't be so hard on him though; he really is a good guy."

At least they were going somewhere.

"Doesn't make him any good of a kisser," replied Takako. What? Telling the truth was always the way to do it.

"Well," Yukie pushed back a strand of imaginary hair, "I'm so embarrassed that you had to see that. I guess that's because it was both our first time."

"Mmm-hmm."

Another silence. One person tried to ask Takako for a dance but she politely declined. Yukie was caught in the moment how really, Takako was a beautiful girl, and she had an equally handsome boyfriend to boot...a handsome boyfriend who knew how to kiss.

"Was your first time...good?"

Shocked by the question, Takako stopped in her tracks and then afterwards resumed with a pace slower than before. Yukie only followed her lead.

"Hmm," by God, was she blushing, "...it was...nice."

Yukie smiled. "Oh."

The memory of her first ever kiss flashed through her brain and Takako had to bite her lip to keep herself from smiling. Maybe that was what Shinji was better at compared to Shuuya, he knew the right moment and he fueled in the mood, and he didn't pressure her at all...THAT'S IT!

Takako wasn't up for girly advice, hell she wasn't the right person to do girl talks with EVER. But she was here, and she kind of promised to help Shuuya (in exchange of Shinji's quote/unquote innocence) and well, she just had to give her best shot. They were there after all, and there was nothing to be done but to stop dithering and do it.

"Yukie, let's try this one more time," Takako started, "uhm, physical intimacies need the right moments in a relationship."

WHOA, that sounded profound. Did she just say that? Damn me. She cleared her throat.

"I guess you and Shuuya have to find that," she clicked her fingers, "_moment._"

Yukie was silent for a while. "How would I know that that was the moment?"

Takako thought of her answer—specifically her moments where she would want to kiss Shinji on her own accord. Moments like when he was shirtless, when he would give her foot massage on a day of long practice, when he was being very silly it was not funny anymore..

"I don't know," Takako said thoughtfully, "it will just...dawn on you."

She shrugged.

Both girls then giggled as if they understood something that only girls could understand. Takako felt a pang in her heart, because she found it real nice to have a girl friend she could talk to like this. Kahoru was a given, but Yukie—well Yukie shared the same pain of having boyfriends from the normal gang of stupids.

"I'm not much of a help, am I?" and this time, Takako fully laughed, "I talk big to Nanahara, but then I get braindead when I'm on it, what the fucking hell!"

Yukie giggled. "You're good. Everything you said...somehow made sense."

They continued to walk in the sand until Yukie finally got her resolve to do things right with Shuuya. Sure, they did have a showdown a while ago, but she felt like the moment was almost here. The only thing she needed to do was to run straight in his arms and do it.

"I get it! I think...I finally get it," and she smiled that Yukie Utsumi smile that made Shuuya Nanahara fall on her feet.

Takako smiled back. A memory of sometime year ago flashed through her mind; smiling, romantic, cheesy (oh god) words and holding hands and walking through the sand, Takako mused, "Maybe it's really the place, eh?"

**oo3.**

"I'm sorry-"

"I'm sorry-"

Shuuya and Yukie smiled at each other and laughed at their antics. Yukie piped in, "You first."

Shuuya looked like he was asking for assurance and when Yukie nodded, he straightened his polo shirt and flashed her a charming smile. "Have this dance with me?"

A giggling Yukie fell into his arms, straight to his embrace. "Did Mim teach you that, that charming thing you just did?"

It was Shuuya's turn to laugh. "Actually, I am the one who taught Mim to be charming." He added a wink for a more satisfying effect.

Yukie only laughed and she rested her head against his shoulder, slowly swaying to the beat.

"So...," cooed Yukie, "did you two kiss..?"

Her voice muffled against his shirt, as she was trying her best not to laugh. Shuuya poked her in the rib. "No...but we did some talking about it."

"Oh god..."

"...and then I thought about _you_ all the time."

Maybe this was what Takako was saying; that clicking of the fingers, that coming of that moment. If Yukie had only known what Shuuya went through, EVERYTHING he went through for this, she would have laughed at how hard he worked for it and how...simple the solution had been. It should never have been **The Problem ™** in the first place.

And so the cheese began to drop moment by moment as two lips finally collided for the first time, feeling _right_, feeling _okay_, even with a number-something happy couples around. Shuuya was guiding Yukie quite impressively (he was the one thinking this) and Yukie could only turn into goo on how..._nice_...the kiss _finally_ felt.

When they broke apart, they stared into each other's eyes and no, Shuuya was no longer becoming cross-eyed, and they dove in for another wet one.

This was rightfully addicting.

**oo4.**

As Shuuya and Yukie started their journeys of becoming kissing junkies, two people fresh from the kissing rehab were talking and munching nuts in a cottage nearby.

More like, watching (and slightly cringing-she would say it was the cold) nearby.

"Oh god, look at that, I hope he didn't say something lame." A cashew nut was eaten.

"Well if she's getting turned on by it, then there's no problem, is there?"

"Does she look like she was getting turned on?"

The boy turned to look. "That's how you looked like a year ago."

"You're fucking heinous! I DO NOT look like that!" She threw him a nut.

"How would you know, your eyes were closed hun."

"And yours wasn't? You're kissing me with your eyes wide open? Just how despicable is that!"

"Despicable me, yeah yeah," he kissed her on the side of her lips, "Just relax and enjoy how they're doing. Trust me, you were as ignorant on your first time—"

"Stop, stop, stop, you're fucking insufferable!" More nuts were thrown in his direction, and he caught one in his mouth.

"And you were clearly enjoying it," and he smirked.

"ARGH stupid, stupid, stupid—"

"You liked it so much~"

"ARGH FUCK YOU!"

She threw the whole bag of nuts in his head and ran for her life. The boy only laughed in his sudden solitude; there was no way he could outrun a deranged sprinter. He would wait; she would come back.

She had always been coming back, anyway.

Maybe it was really the charm of the place.

**THE END.**

**A/N**: Alright, go me. GO ME. 9 pages and 3398 words (and counting). Pardon for everything yet again, no beta still, so no grammar checks, spelling checks, OOC checks…

And this is fluff, so sue me. Also, I love almost!gay Shuuya, that's the only way I could ever I don't know, tolerate him.

Thank you for everyone who read,** imjuzakyd, Myahra, SkyLilies, Jenipunch, anunimus, Thomas828, Dragon of the East**—you guys immensely rock! Thank you also for the support you've given for my other stories! (Drop me a review if you haven't, wink wink nudge nudge).

You see, for the longest A/N ever, I'd just like to say that I've ran out of muses as of the moment (well, I have one one-shot on the library that never got its ending, and like two multichapter fics in mind that will probably just stay there for the rest of eternity, we'll see). This MIGHT be my last story, I'll just be taking a break (and see what to write in other fandoms) and only God knows when/if I will be back again!

But never to worry, I'd be here dropping reviews and reading all Takamim fics alike, because they're my number one OTP and I love them forever and ever AMEN.

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH.**


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